But Forest manager Joe Kinnear faces a growing battle to keep his job at the City Ground after yet another disheartening performance by his team.
Brighton took the lead in the 25th minute when Darren Currie curled a corner in from the left and Virgo, fielded as an emergency striker by Seagulls manager Mark McGhee, was left unchallenged at the far post as he headed the ball into the net.
As the players trooped off at half-time, the City Ground faithful booed the Forest players after a dismal first-half showing.
The home side pushed forward in search of an equaliser in the second period as Kinnear brought on Marlon King as a third striker.
Eugen Bopp, another second-half substitute, came very close to equalising in the 65th minute but Michels Kuipers dived low to his left to push the curing 20-yard shot wide.
Kuipers was once again called into action in the 83rd minute when he tipped King's header wide from Andy Reid's pacy cross.
Two minutes later Alexis Nicolas almost scored a second goal for the visitors when, with only Paul Gerrard to beat, he allowed the goalkeeper to push the ball wide.
Even though they was four minutes of stoppage time Forest never really looked like snatching a last-gasp equaliser.
In the end some desperate defending by the Seagulls defence and brave goalkeeping by Kuipers earned them three well-deserved points that push them up the Championship table.